Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Pig's Cheek, Boiled.— If the cheek has been dried, soak it for three or four hours ; if it has been taken fresh from the pickle it will require only to be washed in two or three waters. Put it into a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring the water to a boil, and let it simmer gently until tender. Draw off the rind, and cover the outside of the cheek with bread-raspings. Put the cheek before the fire for five or six minutes, that the raspings may set. A bag of raspings may be bought at the baker's, a pint for 2d., or they may be made of pieces of stale bread, which have been dried slowly in a cool oven until they are brown and hard, and then crushed to powder. Time to boil the cheek, two hours and a half from the time of boiling, if the cheek is fresh ; three hours if it has been dried. Probable cost, 8d. per pound. Pig's Cheek, Boiled, and Served with Vegetables. — Take half a pig's head, remove the brains and tongue, and put it into a deep pan. Rub it well with half a pound of common salt, and let it lie for three or foui- days, turning and basting twice a day. When it is to be cooked, wash it, and put it into a stewpan, with four quarts of cold water ; bring it to a boil, skim it well, and put with it a few outer sticks of celery, one or two sliced onions, and a dozen peppercorns. Let it simmer until it is done enough, then drain it from the liquid, serve on a hot dish, and send potatoes and boiled greens to table with it. Some cooks like the vegetables boiled with the cheek, and served round it. The liquid in which it has been boiled may be converted into excellent pea-soup. Time to boil the cheek, two hours or more. Probable cost, 8d. per pound. Sufficient for six or eight persons. Pig's Cheek, M. Soyer's Mode of Dressing. — Take a nicely-pickled pig's cheek. Let it boil gently until it is quite tender. Tie haK a pint of good split peas loosely in a cloth, put them into boiling water, and boil them for an hour ; then take them out, pass them through a hair sieve, and mix with the pulp a little pepper and salt, an ounce of butter, and four well-beaten eggs. Stir the mixture over the fire until the eggs begin to set, then spread it upon the cheek, brush over with beaten egg, sprinkle bread raspings on it, put it in the oven a few minutes, and serve. Time, two hours or more to boil the cheek. Probable cost of cheek, 8d. per pound. Sufficient for eight or ten persons. Pig's Cheek, Pickled.— Split open a pig's head, take out the brains, cut out the snout, and chop off the upper bone, to make the cheeks a good shape. Rub the cheeks with salt, and let them lie for two or three days. Put a handful of common salt, half a pound of bay salt, half an ounce of saltpetre, four ounces of moist sugar, and a pennyworth of cochineal, PIG ( 554 ) PIG in a pint of strong ale for a quarter of an hour. Pour the Kquid, when cold, over the cheeks, and let them remain in it for a fortnight, turning and basting every day; then hang them in smoke for a week, when they will be ready for use. Probable cost of cheeks, 8d. per pound. Sufficient, one cheek for eight or ten persons.